Ladies&#39; panties



June 10, 1958 A. E. SIDNELL LADIES PANTIES 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Feb. 10, 1955 FIG. I

FIG. 2

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INVENTOR. ALBERT E. SIDNELL ATTORNEY June 10, 1958 A. E. SIDNELL 2,838,047

LADIES PANTIES Filed Feb. 10, 1955 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ALBERT E. SIDNELL ATTORNEY United States Patent LADIES PANTIES Albert E. Sidnell, North Canton, Ohio Application February 10, 1955, Serial No. 487,353

Claims. (Cl. 128-288) This invention relates to womens liquid-proof panties, and the process and equipment for making them. The panties are designed to be worn by women of all ages, from adolescence through maturity, and particularly during the menstrual period.

The garment is formed of one or more plies of latex rubber which make the garment liquid proof. Elastics of greater modulus than this latex rubber encircle the waist and both legs, forming liquid-tight seals at these places. The panties are designed particularly to'be worn under a bathing suit, to keep the water out and to retain all moisture, etc., but may be worn with evening gowns or any other type of clothes. Means is provided at the front and rear of the panties for attaching and supporting a menstrual bandage.

The invention will be further described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 illustrates the dipping into a latex bath of a form designed for the manufacture of the panties, with the form covered with the first latex dip (partly broken y);

Fig. 2 illustrates the garment during the second dipping in the tank, the whole of the latex rubber applied in the second dip being shown in section around the edges of the form, and part of the first rubber deposit being broken away to show the form under it.

Fig. 3 shows the completed garment;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail showing an elastic tape at the waist enclosed in latex rubber;

Fig. 5 is a section through the elastic at the waist, on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3;

' Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig; 3; and

Fig. 7 illustrates a modified garment construction.

The form may be of porcelain or the like, but is preferably constructed of aluminum plate 1 about one-half inch thick. There is a trim-guiding groove 2 at the waist, and there are similar trim-guiding grooves 3 and 4 at the legs. The portions of the forms immediately inward of these grooves are formed with areas for the attachment of tapes which provide the required high modulus about the waist and the legs. These areas are preferably perpendicular to the planes of the grooves so that the tapes will lie flat. A hole 6 is provided in the top of the plate for the'accommodation of a hook 7 which lowers the dipping form into the latex bath and lifts it out again, and supports it through any desired wash and then during drying.

It is customary in multiple dips to invert the form between dips. Then, as the latex drains toward the bottom of the form after the respective dips and the deposit gradually thins out near the top of the form and thickens near its bottom, the overall thickness after two dips is relatively uniform. Holes 8 are located at the bottom of the form to be supported by hooks 9 when the form is inverted for the second dip. (Fig. 2).

For the purpose of illustration a relatively shallow and tainable with latex rubber.

Patented June 10, 1958 11. In Fig. 1 the form has just been removed from the tank and is covered with the latex rubber 15. This covers the form from the bottom to a line above the groove 2.

After the first dip has been completed, and preferably after the first latex deposit has been washed, the adhesivecovered elastic tapes are put in place. These tapes may be strips of rubber (e. g. inch thick and /2 to 1 inch wide) or tapes formed from rubber thread such as is used in garters, suspenders, etc. Both sides of such an elastic circlet will be treated with an adhesive which may be a latex adhesive or rubber cement such as any of the many that are commonly used for like purposes. The adhesive is preferably applied by dipping the circlet into the adhesive or by means of a brush or wiping pad. The

adhesive forms a firm bond between the latex rubber and the circlet. narrower tapes 18 and 19 are used around the legs. The rubber in these tapes has a higher modulus than that deposited from the latex and when stretched around the waist or legs makes a more-liquid-tight seal than is ob- The tapes are not stretched when placed on the latex-covered form shown in Fig. l.

The tape 17 is located flush up against the latex-covered groove 2, and the narrower tapes 18 and 19 are located flush down against the latex-covered grooves 3 and 4. The ends of the tapes are overlapped to a slight extent, as illustrated, and will be firmely bonded together after the garment is cured so that the overlapped portions will not slip one over the other.

The form is, then again dipped in the same or a different latex bath. This forms a second ply 23 of rubber deposited from the latex which covers the first deposit 15. Thus, the tapes are completely enclosed between the two plies of latex rubber.

After completion of the second dip the garment is washed while still on the form. Then, while still on the form, the unwanted latex above the groove 2 and below the grooves 3 and 4 is cut away by running a knife around the form in each of the trim-guiding grooves. The garment is then vulcanized before removal from the form.

In the preferred form of this invention this liquid-tight garment is provided with attaching means for the support of a menstrual bandage. The attaching means may be of any suitable design. Figure 3 illustrates one form in which there is a strap 25 of the same design fastened to the elastic tape at both the front and back of the narrow tank 10 is shown, but ordinarily the dipping tank will be much deeper and wider. The tank contains latex panties. These straps are on the inside of the garment, and only that adjacent the front side of the panties is illustrated in Fig. 3. The same type is provided at both the front and back, the design and method of fastening being immaterial. The straps may be permanently fastened to the panties, or may be removably fastened as by the use of removable snaps.

A permanent snap is illustrated in Fig. 5. In actual practice this snap and the strap will lie as fiat as possible against the inner rubber surface of the garment. In the permanent snap of the type illustrated, a metal plate 30 with two prongs 31 is provided, and these prongs are fastened into the elastic tape 17 and bent over on the opposite side before the tape is incorporated in the garment. The knob 33 is integral with the plate 30. The metal snap 35 has a rounded portion which fits over the knob 33. Fingers 36 extend downwardly around the knob and the metal 38 from which the fingers are cut is spread laterally to support the strap 25. This strap is an ordinary cloth tape of cotton or rayon or the like. It is held to the metal element 35 by the metal cap 42 which is fastened to the metal 35 by welding or other suitable means. The strap 25 is firmly held between the fiat metal portions 38 and 42.

At the bottom of the strap is a plastic clip 45 (Fig. 3) of any suitable design, with an opening 46 for the attach- A wider tape 17 is used at the waist and ment of a bandage. Clips of various designs permanently or temporarily fastened to supporting straps may be employed. It is to be understood that any type of attachment, whether it involves a strap or a snap, may be utilized.

Figure 7 shows an alternative type of garment that can be made on the form 1. It provides elastic cloth adjacent the skin, and this is more comfortable than rubber sheeting. The elastic cloth 50 is first placed on the form. The upper edge is positioned against the groove 2. The cloth extends almost to the crotch. It is stretchable circumferentially of the form and may likewise be stretchable longitudinally. It includes rubber threads which have a higher modulus than latex rubber. Thus on being stretched around ones waist, it makes a more water-tight seal than is obtainable with latex rubber.

The outer surface of the cloth 50 is coated with adhesive 51 to form a firm bond with the latex rubber when the garment is eventually vulcanized. This application of the adhesive may be done before the cloth is placed on the form but is preferably done while the cloth is on the form. Then with the cloth on the form, with its upper edge flush against the groove 2, the form is dipped in a latex bath. The entire exposed cloth surface may be covered with the latex, as indicated in Fig. 7, or the latex may come to a line just short of the top. In this case the adhesive coat covers only that portion of the cloth which is to be coated with the latex rubber ply.

The tapes 53 around the legs are coated inside with the latex rubber ply 54 and on the outside with the latex rubber ply 55 which is applied to the outside of the fabric. To accomplish this, the form is dipped in the latex bath just deep enough to meet the bottom edge of the cloth 50. This deposits the inner ply 54. Then after putting the adhesive-covered tapes in place, with their bottom edges coinciding with the trim-guiding grooves 3 and 4, the form is dipped again to form the outer ply 55. This may cover the whole outer surface of the cloth, or stop short of it to expose a narrow width of the cloth for its decorative effect. The bottoms of the legs are trimmed at the grooves 3 and 4 and the garment is vulcanized.

Alternatively, the form may be dipped before applying the elastic cloth, and again after the interior of the garment has been assembled, to provide both an inside and outside covering of latex.

As a further alternative, the garment is formed by two dips in latex, as described, with tape at the waist and the legs, and cotton flock or synthetic flock or the like is subsequently adhered to part or all of the inner surface of the garment to provide a soft comfortable surface for contact with the wearers skin. Rubber cement may be used for bonding the flock to the inner rubber surface. This is usually done by applying the adhesive and flock to the article while on the form. Then when stripped off the outside flocked surface becomes the inside surface.

The latex dipping is carried out as is customary. Any compounded latex suitable for bathing suits or baby pants may be used. The form is first treated with a coagulant, and after dipping the latex deposits are washed, as necessary, and after the last latex dip the entire garment is vulcanized. The thickness of the latex deposits is controlled by the amount of coagulant employed, as is usual.

.4 A coagulant may also be applied before making the last latex dip so as to obtain the desired final thickness.

The form and process as well as the garment itself are capable of modifications. The essential features of the garment are the liquid-tight ply which extends from the waist to the legs, with elastic at the waist and leg openings, and preferably also with means for attaching a bandage. The rubber in the elastic may be uncured or only partially vulcanized when assembled in the garment, and then be completely vulcanized when the latex is vulcanized.

The invention is defined in the claims which follow.

What I claim is:

1. Ladies liquid-proof panties formed of elastic cloth extending from the waist downwardly toward the crotch, the cloth being covered with latex rubber which is deposited thereon and extends from the waist to the bottom of the cloth and beyond and is provided with leg openings, and with an elastic circlet at each leg opening which has a greater modulus than the latex rubber.

2. The ladies panties of the preceding claim which includes means at the inside of the front and rear thereof for attachment of a menstrual bandage.

3. The ladies panties of claim 1 which includes means at the front and rear thereof for the support of a menstrual bandage, and a menstrual bandage supported by said means.

4. The method of producing ladies liquid-tight panties which comprises providing a form therefor with a groove at the waist and around each leg, placing on the form elastic cloth in which rubber threads having a greater modulus than latex rubber encircle the form with the upper edge of the cloth at the groove at the waist and the cloth extending downwardly toward the crotch, dipping the form in latex to the bottom edge of the cloth whereby the bottom of the form is covered with latex rubber up to the bottom edge of the cloth, placing an elastic circlet around each leg of the form over said latex rubber with the bottom of each circlet at one of said grooves, and then again dipping the form in the latex, and covering it from the bottom of the form up over at least most of the cloth.

5. A ladys panty which is liquid proof and which includes at least one ply of latex rubber which is continuous from the waist to the legs, there being openings at the waist and at each leg of the panty adjacent which there is a lamination of said rubber and a circumferentially elastic circlet of a material of greater modulus than the latex which contracts into sealing contact with the body of the wearer, the leg openings being near the crotch and the panty rising sheer from the circlets around the legs whereby the panty fits snugly about the tops of the legs and the portion of the body immediately above the legs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 462,965 Darby Nov. 10, 1891 2,068,997 Spanel Jan. 26, 1937 2,428,127 Sidnell Sept. 30, 1947 2,524,463 Moore Oct. 3, 1950 

